Fyvie Castle
Fyvie Castle is located in Aberdeen, Scotland and has had quite a bit of bad luck in years past. Not only is it the home of a few restless spirits but it also houses weeping stones. That's right. An actual piece of rock that leaks water, but first things first.
Fyvie Castle was built in 1390, following the Battle of Otterburn by 5 families (Gordon, Leith, Meldrum, Preston and Seton, each constructing one of the five towers) originally as a Royal hunting seat. It has been visited by Robert the Bruce, Edward the 1st of England, The Marquis of Montrose and William the Lyon. The castle has passed from one family to the next, but is currently owned by The National Trust for Scotland, who took ownership in 1984. While it is the perfect romantic setting for weddings, you may experience some unforeseen problems.
A prophet named Thomas the Rhymer a.k.a. True Thomas announced that he would be visiting Fyvie Castle and told the residents to keep the door open for him. They kindly obliged and left it open every day for seven and a half years. When Thomas arrived fashionably late, a gust of wind blew the doors shut. Pretty much anyone else would see this as no big deal, but not Thomas. He took it personally by putting a curse on the castle. He foretold doom until the three stones which were used for the Preston Tower were returned to their original placement between the Church lands and the Castle. Since then, the castle has never passed from father to his eldest son.
Only one stone has been found. They are all said to weep. Although, one stone in the Tower remains dry when all the surrounding stones are wet, and when they are dry this one stone is wet. Makes you wonder if anyone has attempted to find the other stones and try to break the curse.
Dame Lilias Drummond and her husband Alexander Seton had five daughters. Like many men, Alexander desired a male heir. When Dame Lilias didn't provide him with a son, his eyes started to wander. Some believe in order for Alexander to rid himself of his wife he locked her in a tower at the castle and left her to starve to death on 8th May 1601 though it is not certain how she died exactly. Shortly after she died, Alexander married a young woman named Grizel Leslie. On their wedding night, they were disturbed by strange sounds and heavy sighs coming from outside their window. In the morning, they discovered the name "D. Lilias Drummond" carved into the window sill upside down. A carving that can still been seen today. Ever since then, the Green Lady, as she is sometimes known as, haunts the castle and whenever she appears something terrible happens to the family.
Last but not least. Andrew Lammie. In the 18th Century, a trumpeter named Andrew Lammie fell in love with the local miller's daughter Agnes Smith. Unfortunately, Agnes' parents didn't approve of Andrew. Upon learning that Andrew and Agnes were meeting in secret, the Laird, who wanted the girl as his mistress, seized Andrew and sent him to the West Indies as a slave. He managed to escape and return several years later, but it was too late. Agnes died a short while after his departure. He swore that the sound of a trumpet would foretell the death of every laird of Fyvie as a reminder of the terrible injustice he had suffered before dying as well.
Since his death, a trumpet would be heard in the dead of night before the death of the laird. On several occasions a shadowy figure of a tall man, dressed in rich tartan, has been seen by the castle wall, but disappears when approached.
Goes to show you, even a fairytale castle has it's "flaws".
Sources: About Aberdeen, Jaclyn Reding, and Tour Scotland
Fyvie Castle was built in 1390, following the Battle of Otterburn by 5 families (Gordon, Leith, Meldrum, Preston and Seton, each constructing one of the five towers) originally as a Royal hunting seat. It has been visited by Robert the Bruce, Edward the 1st of England, The Marquis of Montrose and William the Lyon. The castle has passed from one family to the next, but is currently owned by The National Trust for Scotland, who took ownership in 1984. While it is the perfect romantic setting for weddings, you may experience some unforeseen problems.
A prophet named Thomas the Rhymer a.k.a. True Thomas announced that he would be visiting Fyvie Castle and told the residents to keep the door open for him. They kindly obliged and left it open every day for seven and a half years. When Thomas arrived fashionably late, a gust of wind blew the doors shut. Pretty much anyone else would see this as no big deal, but not Thomas. He took it personally by putting a curse on the castle. He foretold doom until the three stones which were used for the Preston Tower were returned to their original placement between the Church lands and the Castle. Since then, the castle has never passed from father to his eldest son.
Only one stone has been found. They are all said to weep. Although, one stone in the Tower remains dry when all the surrounding stones are wet, and when they are dry this one stone is wet. Makes you wonder if anyone has attempted to find the other stones and try to break the curse.
Dame Lilias Drummond and her husband Alexander Seton had five daughters. Like many men, Alexander desired a male heir. When Dame Lilias didn't provide him with a son, his eyes started to wander. Some believe in order for Alexander to rid himself of his wife he locked her in a tower at the castle and left her to starve to death on 8th May 1601 though it is not certain how she died exactly. Shortly after she died, Alexander married a young woman named Grizel Leslie. On their wedding night, they were disturbed by strange sounds and heavy sighs coming from outside their window. In the morning, they discovered the name "D. Lilias Drummond" carved into the window sill upside down. A carving that can still been seen today. Ever since then, the Green Lady, as she is sometimes known as, haunts the castle and whenever she appears something terrible happens to the family.
Last but not least. Andrew Lammie. In the 18th Century, a trumpeter named Andrew Lammie fell in love with the local miller's daughter Agnes Smith. Unfortunately, Agnes' parents didn't approve of Andrew. Upon learning that Andrew and Agnes were meeting in secret, the Laird, who wanted the girl as his mistress, seized Andrew and sent him to the West Indies as a slave. He managed to escape and return several years later, but it was too late. Agnes died a short while after his departure. He swore that the sound of a trumpet would foretell the death of every laird of Fyvie as a reminder of the terrible injustice he had suffered before dying as well.
Since his death, a trumpet would be heard in the dead of night before the death of the laird. On several occasions a shadowy figure of a tall man, dressed in rich tartan, has been seen by the castle wall, but disappears when approached.
Goes to show you, even a fairytale castle has it's "flaws".
Sources: About Aberdeen, Jaclyn Reding, and Tour Scotland
Comments
Actually, I've heard that the ghost of Dame Lilias rarely causes any trouble, supposedly she's just a stern looking spirit who walks the hallways of the castle. Although there is a story of a tourist who claims she saw the ghost's image in the mirror. Go on Youtube, and search for Castle Ghosts of Scotland.